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Asiatic lion

File:Lions.Gir5_(cropped).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Asiatic lion

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Also known as Panthera leo persica, Persian lion, Indian lion, Asian lion, P. leo persica, P. l. persica

subspecies of lion

AI overview

The Asiatic lion is a subspecies of lion that historically lived across Asia but is now found only in a small wildlife sanctuary in India. It matters because this population represents one of the world's rarest big cats, making conservation efforts critical to prevent its extinction.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Species

Endangered

Panthera leo persica Le lion asiatique, lion d'Asie ou lion persan (Panthera leo persica ou Panthera leo sinhaleyus) est une sous-espèce de lion. Son habitat naturel s'étendait autrefois sur tout le sous-continent indien et il était possible de le trouver de la Syrie à l'Inde orientale. À cause de la chasse et de la destruction de son habitat, il avait pratiquement disparu du continent au XXe siècle. Les derniers spécimens sauvages, environ 500, se trouvent en Inde, dans la forêt de Gir ainsi que dans les parties méridionales de la péninsule de Saurashtra. Un certain nombre de zoos abritent quelques individus.

via IUCN

Wikidata facts

Instance of
taxon
Parent taxon
lion
Image
Adult Asiatic Lion.jpg
Show 8 more facts
taxon rank
subspecies
taxon name
Panthera leo persica
Commons category
Lions of Asia
IUCN conservation status
Endangered status
Commons gallery
Panthera leo persica
taxon common name
azijski lev
taxon synonym
Panthera leo leo
taxon range
India
Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

~37 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The Asiatic lion is a lion that belongs to the subspecies Panthera leo leo. The surviving population of these lions is restricted to the Indian state of Gujarat. It is classified as endangered in the IUCN Red List, is included on CITES Appendix I, and is legally protected in India.

Phylogeographic analysis reveal that the Asiatic lion is genetically closely related to the North and West African lions. The adult males measure up to 120 cm (47 in) in shoulder height and weigh about 160 kg (350 lb), making them slightly smaller than large African lions but similar to Central African populations. The Asiatic lion has a ruddy-tawny to sandy grey fur, a distinctive longitudinal skin fold along its belly, and a larger tail tuft. The males are distinguishable from the females by the presence of manes, though they are shorter and sparser than the African counterparts. It also differs from the African lion in skull structure, having a stronger sagittal crest, shorter post-orbital area, and often divided infraorbital foramina.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Asiatic lion” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (13)

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